The City of Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region are announcing an open international art competition to decide on the design of a mural that will adorn a huge wall above the Bazaly football stadium in Ostrava.
The retaining wall, which occupies a prominent location overlooking a major road, has a surface area of 4000 square metres.
Deputy Mayor Zuzana Bajgarová gave more details: “Murals are a form of artistic expression that certainly have a place in cities. However, as with any other forms of art, it’s important to ensure that this street art meets high standards of quality and expresses the unique identity of its location. For a long time the City of Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region have been discussing potential improvements to the retaining wall above the Bazaly stadium, and a mural was one of the ideas that emerged from those discussions. The wall is very large, and it occupies a prominent location close to the city centre – so I’m pleased that we reached an agreement with the Region (the owner of the wall) to hold an international art competition which will enable us to choose the best design for the mural.”
The City of Ostrava has been involved with murals and street art for several years. In 2020, a team headed by the curator Alexandra Kroliková worked on a pilot project to create a large mural entitled “Jump” designed by the renowned Polish street artist Mariusz M-City Waras. Buoyed by the success of this project, the City decided to continue organizing and coordinating mural art in Ostrava, and for this purpose it set up a team whose members include representatives of the local cultural scene, the Ostrava360 platform, the Municipal Studio for Urban Planning and Architecture (MAPPA) and the City Authority. The team identifies appropriate locations for murals, makes recommendations on what kind of mural would be suitable there, and draws up instructions for art competitions. These activities will continue in the upcoming years, and the team will also explore options for providing spaces where street artists can create their works legally. Successful mural projects in the city centre include M-City’s “Jump” on Nádražní Street, the “Ostrava Madonna” near the Antonín Dvořák Theatre (the work of the American street artist Nils Westergard), and “Creative Placemaking” in Lower Vítkovice (by the American street artist known as Gaia). A full overview of Ostrava’s murals (including some that no longer exist) can be found on the “Ostrava Sculptures” platform (https://ostravskesochy.cz/typ/26-mural-art).
Details of the competition terms and conditions (including supplementary information) can be found at the website www.streetart.ostrava.cz. Interested parties can also request further information by writing to the e-mail address . The deadline for submitting entries is 10 May 2022.